Felony Conviction for Contest Cheater

[DTro]

From the Outdoor News.

Buffalo, Minn. — It isn’t often Brian Lutes prosecutes someone charged with cheating at fishing contests, but the odd case that wrapped up at last week’s sentencing will be memorable for the assistant Wright County attorney for more than one reason.

Graydon Scott Adickes, 46, of Annandale, was convicted in April of felony theft by swindle, for cheating to win prizes at three ice-fishing contests in 2010 and 2011. Adickes was ordered probation for five years, with a 17-month prison sentence stayed, must serve 90 days in jail, was fined $500, and was ordered to pay total restitution of about $9,000, according to Lutes. Of that restitution, $4,000 will go to a woman engaged to a 34-year-old Maple Lake man when he died in a plane crash nearly two years ago.

In the most notable of three fishing contests in which Adickes was convicted of cheating to win prizes, a benefit event was held on Cedar Lake near Annandale to honor Jeff Colbenson, who died a week prior to his wedding in August 2010, according to the Maple Lake Messenger. He was to be married to Beth Blizil, with whom he had a son, Carter. Operating the plane was Jeff Colbenson’s friend, 32-year-old Brett Johnson, of Becker.

The benefit fishing contest, in February 2011, was to raise money for Blizil (now Beth Colbenson) and her son. It drew nearly 4,000 people, according to the Messenger, and was attended by former Twins star Kent Hrbek.

It was at that contest – the Catch 4 Colbenson Ice Fishing Tournament – investigators say, that Adickes won a custom-built fish house valued at about $10,000, which he later sold to Beth Colbenson for $4,000.

Conservation Officer Brian Meis, who investigated the incidents, said Adickes told him that he hid a northern pike in a bag in his coat sleeve so it wouldn’t be detected.

“It was despicable human behavior, especially at a benefit where they’re trying to help somebody who’s been through a tragedy,” Lutes said.

Meis said he received a TIP call shortly after the contest took place, and began an investigation. The caller also said Adickes may have been involved in cheating at other contests.

In the process of investigating the alleged cheating, Meis said he found evidence of Adickes being a felon in possession of a firearm, something Lutes said his office used in negotiations to gain admissions of cheating from Adickes, who also was convicted of cheating at ice-fishing contests in 2010 (Big Lake, Big Lake Jaycees) when he won an ATV valued at about $5,000, and 2011 (on Eagle Lake) when he won a fish finder. Meis noticed the fish-holding cooler during his investigation.

Meis’ report says Adickes caught two northern pike from Lake John prior to the Colbenson (Cedar Lake) benefit contest, and kept them alive in a cooler with an aeration system. The Colbenson event was a contest, Meis said, that didn’t award the biggest fish, but rather when the fish was caught (the 10th or 25th fish, for example). Adickes won the contest with a 1.25-pound pike. Meis’ report says Adickes kept the fish alive in a plastic bag filled partially with water, and carried it onto the lake in his sleeve.

Meis believes Adickes may have sold the fish house to Beth Colbenson when the investigative heat “was turned up.” Lutes said Colbenson may have wanted the house for “sentimental reasons.”

The other two contests were similar to the Cedar Lake contest, according to Meis. He won a fish finder at the Eagle Lake contest with a 1.5-pound northern, and the ATV at the Big Lake Jaycees contest with a 3.5-pound largemouth bass. He hid those fish, too, in his clothing.

Meis said the case points the need for fishing contest officials to be wary of cheaters. It also lets potential cheaters know that they could be convicted of a felony offense, he said.

Besides the fine, restitution, and probation, Adickes also cannot fish during his five-year probation period, Lutes said.

“In the DNR world, that’s a very good sentence,” Meis said of Adickes’ penalty.

[reinhard1]

hard to say if the penalty would be enough for me as it is in the DNR's world. glad he got caught and he was prosecuted. good luck.

[DR_FISH]

Glad he got caught. Has anybody heard of other cases like this?

[fishersofmen]

Unreal! This guy is the armpit of society. What is rather comical is the ignorance of these people thinking they will not get caught after winning all these prizes at multiple contests. Not the brightest pup.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I think cheating at contests is fairly common. I seem to remember someone getting busted a few years back for cheating at multiple contests.

Just think....all that work to cheat, if they'd put half the effort into getting a job, they wouldn't be sitting in jail with a felony conviction.

[perchking]

no wonder why I dont win too many tourneys....

Glad he got caught.

[Stick in Mud]

Thanks for posting the article, Dtro.....good to get news like this out there so people know that there just might be consequences for cheating.

[Gordie]

It just proves that someone will try and cheat at everything to gain a buck or two without any consideration for who they may hurt in the process.

Glad he got hit with the feloney charge but it didnt seem to matter as he was a felon to begin with and had a gun in his possesion.. nothing like a felon with a gun

[GSP4ME]

not much different then an silly-me with a gun or a drunk with a gun

[BLACKJACK]

It say in the article that it was a TIP call that got the charges rolling, if the guy wouldn't have been bragging to someone, he'd still be ok. Goes to show you that he's probably not the sharpest tool in the shed either.

[BryeGuy]

By looking up public court records youll see this is not his first rodeo.....

I am not saying how to look it up! I don't need to be that guy.

[GotALunker]

good to see he got his comeuppance...what a d-bag!

[harvey lee]

It just proves that someone will try and cheat at everything to gain a buck or two without any consideration for who they may hurt in the process.

Glad he got hit with the feloney charge but it didnt seem to matter as he was a felon to begin with and had a gun in his possesion.. nothing like a felon with a gun

MY guess Gordie, there is a cheater at every contest with a prize over $500. Maybe less. The smaller the contest, I'll bet the easier to cheap.

It just goes to show you can fine these people for breaking the law and it will not stop them or at least the majority. It's one thing for a person to get it for 1 fish over but these people are far from that. Take thier fishing license, no big deal, they will fish again.

At least this person got caught and maybe that will be the last we hear of him.

[leech~~]

This does S-u-c-k and he should get some time. But, we now know where to go to get some nice Pike! Lake John!

[Stick in Mud]

Yeah, I'm not sure how I feel about this...I'm glad the guy got caught, don't get me wrong, but it makes me wonder about how many guys are out cheating in the tournaments I fish. I mean, how many guys bring in, not a winning fish, but a placeable fish? And then don't brag about it? I dunno...seems like it'd be nearly impossible to prevent cheating at any large ice fishing tourney, unless you want to start searching people.

[bobberdown69]

It sure is bad when people have to lure them selves to cheating bat stuff like this. WHO EVER HE SOLD THIS STUFF TO they return it or face charges of cheating also.

[bobbymalone]

I seem to remember some pro got busted in bass tourneys not too long ago when his bass started throwing up the lead weights he had been feeding them.

[Stick in Mud]

Yup, I remember that. Another bass guy got caught trying to buy a fish off of a co-angler. Just goes to show you the ethical standards of people who fish for bass aren't quite up to snuff!!!

[RumRiverRat]

Yup, I remember that. Another bass guy got caught trying to buy a fish off of a co-angler. Just goes to show you the ethical standards of people who fish for bass aren't quite up to snuff!!!

There was no catching involved in that case.

It was a joke made by one angler to another than got blown out of proportion.

[Stick in Mud]

Is that the official story, or just the other guy's side of it? I really don't care either way, just curious as to how it turned out.

[minnesotathorn]

many years ago, when i was still young & did salmon fishing contests on lake michigan we heard stories of fish being injected with water to increase weight. i guess for a very few winning at any cost is acceptable.

[auggie78]

What a piece of scum

[Brad B]

It sure is bad when people have to lure them selves to cheating bat stuff like this. WHO EVER HE SOLD THIS STUFF TO they return it or face charges of cheating also.

there is no need to return the house. the guy that was killed in the plane crash was a guy I went to school with. he was a week away from getting married. Beth is the person he was going to get married to. the guy that cheated sold the house back to Beth after the heat was turned up on the investigation. As far as I know Beth gets the house and this guy has to pay the money back that she bought the house for. If I was the judge in this case I would have made this guy pay the full value of the house($10,000) to beth not what she paid him for it plus let her have the house. read Dtro's first post in this thread it is a copy of the story from outdoor news.

[Icedemon2012]

First thing I would like to thank everyone that attended this contest. Beth's fiance Jeff was a very friend of mine and died way to young. I was part of the committe for this contest and thought I'll give everybody a little insight how this guy was cheating. This is way the low life piece of s?"t was cheating, he had a northern that weighed a couple of pounds, nothing too big, but big enough to win a prize. This contest was set up that 12th largest fish would win the house. And you guessed it, his fish was the 12th largest fish. The only bright side to the story is Beth has the fish house which she can spend time in telling her young son how great his father was.

[bobberdown69]

Sorry the way that i put it, I agree with you that he should have to pay full value of the hose.and let Beth keep the house.